As Colorado prepares to host the Democratic National Convention August 25-28, the value and importance of bicycling continues to climb. Here are a few examples:

Bike Lanes and Sharrows Installed Shared-lane arrows, or "sharrows" are used to direct bicyclists where to safely ride and to convey to motorists that bicyclists have a right be in the lane. The city of Denver is in process of installing new sharrows and bike lanes on several downtown Denver streets before the convention (see the new 14th Street sharrow pictured above). Kudos to city officials and Bike Denver for implementing this major bicycle improvement project.

Bike Share Goes BigDelegates, elected officials, visitors, and anyone downtown during the convention may sign up to use a bicycle each day for free. 1,000 bikes are being provided by Humana and Bikes Belong and then the bikes continue to the Republican National Convention. Pre-registration and Bike-Share Station Map.

Volunteers NeededSponsors of the 1,000 bikes project are seeking volunteers to staff bike-sharing stations in downtown Denver, Aug. 25-28. Bicycle enthusiasts are encouraged to sign-up and help show how bicycles can be efficient and fun transportation.

Bicycle Colorado is helping connect bike-knowledgeable volunteers with this historic bike-sharing event. Find out more information, including an online volunteer form, on our web site. We will forward your information to Bikes Belong, which is coordinating volunteers and the bike-sharing stations. Sign up to volunteer.

Safety Training Bicycle Colorado's leadership in bicycle safety education and training is being tapped by bike share sponsors Bikes Belong and Humana. We are providing safety information and materials to the bike share program and will present trainings for volunteers. The goal is to instruct bike share riders on rules of the road, proper helmet fit, and bike path etiquette.

Governor Bill Ritter convened a blue ribbon panel in 2007 to propose transportation spending and priorities for the state. Bicycle Colorado is helping a working group to add details to the panel's recommendations, including priorities for bicycling improvements.

The working group invited Bicycle Colorado to present ideas on the needs of bicyclists in Colorado and the most effective use of funds. The Department of Transportation has historically declined spending state transportation funds on bicycling, instead using only federal funds. The blue ribbon panel recommended using future state funds for shoulders and bicycle projects. The working group will create a first draft of a bicycling program outline to present to the blue ribbon panel.

Colorado continues to be a source of outstanding bicycling on the national stage. Three Colorado schools finished in the top four for the national collegiate cycling championship.

Fort Lewis College upset the previous champion by winning the 2007-08 USA Cycling Collegiate National Team Rankings Division I competition by a single point. Colorado State University followed in third with the University of Colorado-Boulder in fourth. In the Division II battle, the Colorado School of Mines took third place.